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| - Multiple social media posts have claimed the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised £3 billion a year to Ukraine for the next 100 years. But this is not really correct.
Many of the posts share an official portrait photo of Mr Starmer alongside text saying: “This [rat emoji] has promised Ukraine 3 billion a year for the next 100 years while our country goes down the toilet. He says theirs [sic] no money to help the elderly, inflation is through the roof, bills have gone up! Rent has gone up, but he’s got all the money in the world for another country’s war. So next time they say there’s no money for this or that you know it’s lies.”
Mr Starmer has recently signed a ‘100 Year Partnership Declaration’ between the UK and Ukraine, but it doesn’t commit the UK to providing military aid for 100 years. Instead it promises £3 billion a year of military aid “until 2030/31” and for “as long as needed to support Ukraine”.
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What do we know about the military aid commitment?
Although the partnership declaration with Ukraine doesn’t commit the UK to providing military aid for 100 years, the wording of the declaration leaves it unclear exactly how long the £3 billion annual commitment is likely to last.
The declaration says: “The UK will provide Ukraine with annual military assistance of no less than £3 billion a year until 2030/31 and for as long as needed to support Ukraine.”
Under the previous Conservative government, then-foreign secretary David Cameron pledged to provide Ukraine with £3 billion a year “for as long as necessary”, and Mr Starmer recommitted to this shortly after becoming Prime Minister in July 2024, saying the money would be provided “until 2030/31 and for as long as needed”. A government statement announcing the 100 Year Partnership Declaration last month also said it was “a commitment for £3bn in military aid until as long as it takes”.
Beyond that we can’t say how long the commitment is likely to last. When we asked the Ministry of Defence whether the UK would remain committed to paying £3 billion a year until 2030/31 if the war between Russia and Ukraine were to end much sooner, or if the UK was committed to giving £3 billion a year beyond 2030/31 if the war had not ended at that point, it told us it would not comment on a “hypothetical scenario”.
It’s also worth noting that the final provisions of the declaration say it will “continue in effect for 100 years from the date of signature,” but adds that it “may be terminated by either Participant by sending a written notice to the other Participant”.
According to the House of Commons Library, the 100 Year Partnership Declaration in which the £3 billion a year commitment is set out is not legally binding (though the accompanying treaty is). The House of Commons Library says: “While the agreement leaves long-term military support open ended, it does not commit the government to annually providing Ukraine with £3 billion of military assistance for 100 years.”
What is the partnership for?
The partnership outlines greater military and security collaboration between the two countries, including maritime support in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Azov Sea to “deter ongoing Russian aggression”. The UK will also deliver a new mobile air defence system jointly funded by the UK and Denmark.
This support builds on £12.8 billion of military and non-military support that the UK has committed to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, which includes £3 billion in military assistance for 2024/25.
Beyond this, the declaration describes a scientific and technology partnership, in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones. It will also strengthen connections in sports and culture, and establish the UK as a preferred partner for Ukraine’s energy sector, critical minerals strategy and green steel production.
You can find more of our work checking claims relating to Ukraine on our website.
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